See the new parenting video at before5.org

Administrator

Monday, 01 June 2009 14:48

Hello!

Happy June! As you read this, I hope sunny skies have returned. We had such a beautiful weekend here in northeast Indiana — I’m ready for more of the same, and I’m sure you are, too!

The June issue of Greater Fort Wayne Family Magazine is now online. The theme is “Make it a hole in one!” With great ideas for family fun, plenty of humor (two pages of Humor Helps!), health advice, Teachable Moment tear-out cards to post on your ‘fridge, lots of event listings and more, the magazine will help you make June “A hole in one!”

You can read the entire magazine online at http://www.fwfamily.com or pick up a free copy at one of hundreds of convenient locations.

GREAT NEW VIDEO

If you haven’t seen it yet, take some time today to visit http://before5.org/videos.shtml and watch the video clips. They are excellent! All I can say is WOW! The video has real-life examples of parents dealing with typical problems all parents, grandparents and childcare providers face. Take some time to watch the videos. I promise you will be glad you did… and tell your friends about them!

TEACHABLE MOMENTS

Summer provides a wealth of teachable moments in the natural outdoor environment for children of all ages. Children absorb information from their surroundings from birth, especially from the experience-rich outdoor environment. Every time children enter the outdoors there is something new to experience. Parents and caregivers can use nature to provide many learning experiences every day, rain or shine.

Infants learn from what they see, hear, touch, and smell in the environment. Spread a blanket on the grass under a tree and talk to your infant about the sounds you hear. Let her feel the grass, the bark of the tree, or a nearby rock, and talk about the how each one feels and how it smells.

Toddlers and preschool age children usually initiate spontaneous learning experiences in the outdoors during normal play activities. You might observe them picking up leaves, stooping to look at a bug, lounging on the grass looking up into a tree or watching clouds, digging in the dirt or sand, or looking under rocks. Sometimes it appears to adults to be no particular point to these activities, but children are taking in a wealth of information from these experiences.

By being close to nature from a very early age, children will gradually become aware of the interdependence of all living things, and will develop an attitude of responsibility as future stewards of the earth.

For more great parenting information go to http://www.before5.org They recently added lots of great new parenting information; check back often.

HUMOR HELPS

Last year when Nicole was 7 and in first grade her mother Karen was showing Nicole’s grandparents the way to school because they were going to have lunch with her there the next day. Nicole was helping her mother give directions and she said, “You turn at the big rocks.” They were all puzzled. “The ones with the words on them,” Nicole explained. Karen then realized she was talking about the cemetery. On the main street through Brownsburg there is a large cemetery on both sides of the street. The corner at the end of the cemetery is where you turn to go to Nicole’s school! — Grandma and Grandpa Beadle of Fremont

I always need more stories for my weekly newspaper column, Kidwarmers and Humor Helps! If you have one to share please reply to this e-mail! For more great stories visit http://www.kidwarmers.com

SWEET AND SOUR PORK

With pork being such a good buy, I thought I would share again my sweet and sour pork recipe. It is from “Cooking at Yorkie’s Restaurant,” a fabulous cookbook I got in 1977! I have shared this recipe with many people over the years because whenever I serve it people ask for the recipe!

Sweet and Sour Pork

5 lbs. lean, raw pork, cubed (I ask the butcher to cut it up; remember the pieces will shrink in size during cooking)

1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

pepper

2 cups sliced onions

3/4 cut catsup

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup water